Pro 2051 Trunking Help .. very frustrated

[Policewannabe]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and I am so frustrated I decided to sign up and request help. I recently bought a Radio Shack Pro-2051 Triple Trunking scanner and have been trying to get the hang of it. I've learned the general terms associated with scanning and I've learned to program channels, but am still green to the whole thing.

Now to the advanced stuff; Trunking. Can ya'll please be patient and help me figure out how to program my scanner?
I've ordered a data cable and scancat lite plus, but I want to be able to program it manually.

I've read the manual several times over but it the information is not concise for a beginner like me. After about 6 hours of trying to get a trunked channel to work properly I am quite puzzled on how to do it.

So with that, I hope somebody would be willing to help me step by step on how to program the 2051. Preferably someone who has a 2051 and can provide step by step instructions?

I'm located in Corpus Christi, Texas and some of the best information I could find on local frequencies came from this very site. GREAT JOB on the site, it's been most helpful but I still need some 1 on 1 help. I have an interest in police work and can't get enough of it, and being able to listen in is very entertaining.

http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=17
More info here: http://www.scanningusa.com/trunked_info/texas.html

One of the main 'control channels' 866.0875 comes in clear with trunking off...
856.4375 sounds like a gasoline generator running, so I assume that is a trunked channel (lol). I did try to set up trunking and set trunk mode to ED and entered a bunch of AFS #'s but it still sounded scrambled. How do I determine what system they use and how to set it all up?

Thanks

[B][U]City of Corpus Christi (Ericsson/GE EDACS)[/U][/B]
[B]System Frequencies:[/B]
Robstown Site:
LCN 1-856.4375 
LCN 2-856.9375
LCN 3-857.4375
LCN 4-857.9375 
LCN 5-858.4375
LCN 6-858.9375 
LCN 7-859.4375 
LCN 8-859.9375 
LCN 9-860.4375 
LCN10-860.9375
LCN11-854.9625 
LCN12-855.2125 
LCN13-855.4625 
 
Shoreline Dr Site 
LCN 1-856.2375 
LCN 2-856.7125 
LCN 3-857.2375 
LCN 4-857.7125 
LCN 5-858.2375
LCN 6-858.7125 
LCN 7-859.2375 
LCN 8-859.7125 
LCN 9-860.2375
LCN10-860.7125
LCN11-854.9875 
LCN12-855.4875 
LCN13-855.9875 
County Jail Site
LCN 1-856.4875
LCN 2-857.4875 
LCN 3-858.4875

 

[Policewannabe]

Also,

Frequencies 856.4375 sounds exactly like this:
http://www.kb9ukd.com/digital/edacs96.wav
I have the scanner on now and it sounds identical!
How do I set up trunking for it?

 

[Policewannabe]

Could somebody please help me with it?

 

[Policewannabe]

I got the data cable, hooked it up. Not sure what to enter for GROUP IDS or for trunking type. ANYONE care to help a newbie??

http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=17

 

[W4KRR]

The system you show is EDACS. The frequencies must be entered in the exact order shown in the list. The trunk system type must be set to EDACS (but NOT EDACS SCAT!) The talkgroup ID's are entered into the green column labeled "Group ID's". Under "Group Description, you would enter a brief description of the talkgroup (example: police, fire, rescue, police tac, etc.)

I am not familiar with the software you have, and I don't have a PRO-2051 scanner, so I can't help out much more than I have. The most important thing is to enter the frequencies in the order shown, and set the system type as "EDACS".

 

[Policewannabe]

Ok, I kind of understand what you're saying. But do I need to program the channels I don't want to listen to?
Or do I enter all of them in order and just lock out the undesired ones?

 

[W4KRR]

Ok, I kind of understand what you're saying. But do I need to program the channels I don't want to listen to?
Or do I enter all of them in order and just lock out the undesired ones?

You must enter all the frequencies, in the exact order listed. LCN 1 must go into channel xx1, LCN 2 must go into channel xx2, etc. All the frequencies are used in a trunked system, there really aren't any "unused" ones. The conversations will move around from frequency to frequency in a trunked system. It's the talkgroups that determine what service or agency you will be monitoring. In a trunked system, a talkgroup isn't associated with any one frequency, it will move around to a different frequency with each press of the microphone key. Thus the need for a trunk tracking scanner.

BTW, in the example you showed, it appears to be two systems, and each system must go into its own bank in the radio, you cannot put both systems into one bank.

If you go elsewhere on this website to the Texas forum, there are probably people there that can answer specific questions about the Corpis Cristi system, I am in Florida and cannot help out with any system out of my area. Good luck!

 

[Policewannabe]

Ok, what I dont understand now is do I use the AFS or the DECIMAL number?
Do I enter the AFS number under "GROUP IDS"?

*edit*
I guess the DEC is the group id in decimal format?


I'm completely new to this, so I have yet to learn what everything is.

 

[Policewannabe]

Ok, here's what I've got!
All 10 frequencies entered, and talk id's I want to hear are entered. Going to load it and give it a try.

 

[Policewannabe]

Didn't work.. so here's another try

 

[Policewannabe]

WooHoo!! It worked!!

Thanks for your help!!!!!!

 

[Policewannabe]

I've got another question however. :lol:
Whenever I switch the scanner to highway mode I always get an audible alert and the alert light flashes and it takes me to a specific frequency, however it is trunked. If I cannot find the talk groups or other frequencies, how can I listen?
It alerts me every single time, but I have no talk groups to use.

 

[Policewannabe]

Am I supposed to enter the 'DEC' as the Talkgroup ID?

 

[W4KRR]

Yes, the "DEC" (Decimal) numbers are the talkgroup ID's.

I am not familiar with the software you have, but you may have to set the mode to EDACS in order for it to track properly.

I notice that the frequencies that you have entered into the software screenshot don't match the list in the first part of your post, and I'm not in Texas, so I can't help you with what's correct for your area.

 

[WayneH]

The hijacked posts were moved to their own thread.
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118607